


Beebleberry Ice Cream

by saltylikecrait



Series: Follows Soft the Sun [12]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Ice Cream, Prince Finn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-02
Updated: 2018-11-02
Packaged: 2019-08-08 11:17:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16428371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saltylikecrait/pseuds/saltylikecrait
Summary: Vulnerability was something that she learned that she must never show; on Jakku, and now here in the limelight, all because the person that she loved the most was heir to a throne.





	Beebleberry Ice Cream

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Finnrey Friday!
> 
> There are only two more installments left for this series. Look for them both in December with the big wedding at the end.

She shouldn’t have peeked at the tabloid headlines lying on that table. Finn and his family had warned her that now that she was a figure in their lives, she would be the subject of many rumors and of much scrutiny. Some of it would be nice, they said, but most of it would be meaningless trash talk.

Well, it didn’t turn out to be so meaningless if she was here in Finn’s apartment, huddled on his couch under a blanket and sobbing her eyes out.

Actually, the Royal Family was glad that she had pointed the article out (though one of their PR assistants probably would have found it sooner or later) because it detailed a security flaw in Rey’s apartment complex and showed that there were people out there that wished her harm. Some of the comments later found on the HoloNet were particularly troublesome. Almost as upset as Rey by all the drama, Finn had asked her to stay the night with him while security investigated her apartment complex for any other breaches. At least knowing she was there with him would give him a peace of mind.

Curling up further into the blanket (she’ll never admit it, but she’s very fond of this blanket because it smells faintly like her boyfriend), she breathes out another short sob as she waits for Finn to return. She’s calmer than she was when he first left, bursting into tears as soon as the door closed, but he was due back at any time and she didn’t like other people seeing her cry like this. The last time Finn had seen her cry, it was over what they dubbed “the incident” when she almost used the Force to hurt a coworker, and that moment of weakness was something that still ate up at her. Vulnerability was something that she learned that she must never show; on Jakku, and now here in the limelight, all because the person she loved the most was heir to a throne.

Her eyes are still red when he returns, but she lights up when she sees that he has a carton of beebleberry ice cream in his arms.

“Only flavor to spare in the big freezer,” he tells her, holding up two spoons. “Thought we both could use some.”

She opens the blanket cocoon that she made for herself up just enough for him to shimmy in. Manners be damned, they both pop the lid off the carton and begin spooning the sweet pink treat into their mouths. The burst of sweetness on her tongue is comforting, and she briefly wonders if she had ever tasted beebleberry as a child, before she was left on Jakku. She’s had the ice cream a few times now, and though it is not her favorite flavor, each time she has it brings a sense of familiarity, like a long-faded memory.

They are silent for a few minutes while they scoop up the ice cream, lost in thought. Finally, Finn is the one to break the silence.

“Our security personnel are over at your place investigating,” he explains. “We all really want to know how the press is getting shots of the prince’s girlfriend’s kitchen and bathroom.”

It panics her when she realizes that if the tabloids weren’t so tactless with their headlines, someone could have easily gotten photos of Rey in her private life, or worse, while she was indecent. They probably wanted that, or, even better for them, a shot of the prince and his girlfriend in a situation that was not for anyone else’s eyes.

Finn sighs. “I knew we’d have to have this talk eventually, but I didn’t think it would be under these circumstances.”

“Security talk?” she asks.

“Security talk,” he confirms.

She nods; she’s known for months that this would come up eventually. “Tell me.”

"There are options for you,” he begins. “What you choose should be based on what you think is best for you. But Rey,” he looks directly at her, “you understand what our relationship means now, what consequences it comes with. Do you… do you want this?” Finn looks nervous, almost more nervous than before he has to give a speech to a large audience. She realizes that he’s giving her the option to leave right now, leave this relationship, and the thought of that hurts him. Even if she agrees to stay, he would never force her to stay with him forever. Relationships unravel all the time under less stressful situations.

Moving her hand over his, feeling the coldness that the metal of the spoon and ice cream has left on his fingers, she leans into him. “I want _you.”_

He smiles then. “You have me,” he promises. “As long as you want.” Then he clears his throat. “Security will probably find you tomorrow,” he tells her. “They’ll be able to give better details than me. You’ll be given the option to stay at your apartment, but with security of your own sticking close by at all times. They won’t bother you, but privacy will be an issue.”

She frowns at the thought, thinking of the first time that Finn had spent the night at her apartment and all the hold-ups it caused for the tenants. As much as she loved having Paige and Rose for neighbors, she would hate to think she was making life more difficult for them simply because she was sticking around for her own selfish reason.

And well, she could always visit them.

“The other option you’ll likely be given is to move into one of the secured apartments a few blocks away.” Rey understood that he meant the apartments that the Royal Family owned and leased out to family members and relatives. “Security would be tight there, but you wouldn’t have to have them around you at all times. They mainly just guard the buildings.”

That would probably be a better option. Even if the privacy wasn’t like she was used to, it was still far more livable than being without it. Rey understood that she would eventually have to give up that freedom if she wanted to be with Finn.

“And well…” Finn trails off and waits for a moment before continuing. “I was hoping that you could consider this my invite for you to move in… with me, I mean.”

Her eyes widen and he looks nervous again.

"If this is too soon, it can wait. Forget I said anything!” Finn looks embarrassed, like he wants to run for it, but Rey hushes him.

“I think it’s a wonderful idea, Finn.”

The smile he’s given her may be the brightest she’s ever seen from him. Then he glances at her face, focusing on the center of it. “You have beebleberry on your nose,” he laughs and leans over to kiss the tip of her nose to get it off.

If giving up some of her old freedoms means that she will get to spend her mornings and nights with Finn, that is something that Rey is prepared to give up. It might be difficult at first, but she believes that she will be happier for it.


End file.
